Broken Headlight Tabs

[mlorenzini]

I'm wondering if anyone has had problems with the tabs that mount the headlight on the TE449/511. Both of mine broke, I assume from riding hard on rocky roads. Below is a pic of the fasteners with the plastic inside. What is the fix, besides aftermarket headlight? Get the same part so it can break again?

 

[Dangermouse449]

I broke one side in a stack.
I just ran a Tek screw through the plastic near the original screw so it drilled into both pieces of plastic.

 

[mlorenzini]

What's a "Tek screw?" Can you post a pic? Plus, I don't see how any screw can fix this. There's nothing to secure the headlight itself once the tab breaks.

Here's the pics of the broken tabs on the headlight. I can't believe how flimsy the plastics are!

 

[Dangermouse449]

A self drilling screw, threaded in from outside (Through the black plastic into the white, near the hole) The place I repaired was in a different spot, but still should work.
Sorry, my bike is at home 2000km from where I work atm, can't send a pic.

 

[mlorenzini]

The black plastic is not part of the headlight. It's sort of an inner frame for the blinkers. I've removed the entire fairing/headlight and I can assure you that there is no part of the headlight you can screw into from the sides when the tabs are broken. Here's another pic that may help. I'm lifting the headlight out of the fairing.

 

[Dangermouse449]

Yeah, I see now. Not cool. Not sure how that would happen.

My bike has been completely upside down parked on the handle-bars & rear guard after one nasty stack.
I've got rock scratches all over the front plate & headlamp & it's still all joined together.....

Maybe you could extend the off what is left of the black plastic (near the hole) with a piece of tin by pop riveting it to what remains.
If you pre drilled the tin piece to accept the spring nut, it might work ok. Coat it all JB or someting to hold it all from flexing....

 

[Mr Ford40]

What about some silca flex this is tuff stuff made for rubber and plastic.

 

[mlorenzini]

What is "silca flex"? Never heard of it.

 

[Dangermouse449]

Sikaflex adhesives & sealants. Sika products are used in heaps of places, most often for bonding windscreens into vehicles.
Very high strength urethane sealers.

 

[Mr Ford40]

What is "silca flex"? Never heard of it.

Sikaflex great stuff fix's , sticks , flexible , strong and is a rubber sort of product when dry and sticks to your hands real good .

 

[Gerald Vincent]

Well thanks to this post, I found out another thing needing fixed. I bought a demo bike, and from day 1, I was wondering that broken tab was. The other side tab didn't have anything attached (on my bike), so I drilled it out, and mounted the toggle switch for my grip warmers. Everything seemed to be fine, and I was more worried about other interesting aspects of this bike (like oil pouring onto my engine and feet from the airbox, among other things)

So back to the headlight tabs, on the ride in to work this morning, my headlight was pointing at the front tire, I pulled it up (at 60MPH) and it promptly pointed down again. I decided not to try that again however due to the unnerving swerving (say that 3 times fast) it caused the previous try.

So has anyone found a satisfactory fix? If I go back to stock, I'll have to assess what I need, I guess, also, does anyone have a ballpark $$ what it should cost me to order and replace all associated plastic bits?

Thanks for your help.

EDIT: After examining the photos of this post again, I believe, I may have different broken tabs in the headlight area. I'll look after work.

EDIT SEVERAL DAYS LATER: Turns out my problem was totally different, sorry for the hijack.